Social media takeovers are a great way to boost the visibility of student voices and to provide a sense of the student experience. They offer benefits to both the person taking over the account (their perspective is shared on a large platform) and also the account itself (which benefits from new energy and a fresh approach, and can attract the followers of the new person posting).
This is also a great way to introduce your department/division/event to the world. The engagement for takeovers is typically markedly higher than a traditional post. Our audiences love to see real people in the world! Keep that in mind when choosing your ambassador.
- Prior to finalizing plans for a social media takeover, meet with the person who will manage the takeover to discuss the expectations of each party, essential guidelines the poster should follow, and tips based on previous takeovers.
- Here is a checklist you can use in your takeover prep meeting. Make sure you discuss:
- the specific date and time when the takeover will begin and end
- the specific account that will be taken over
- how the guest poster will actually post to the account, such as through a temporary login or by emailing or texting content to the regular social media manager to post
- the goal of the takeover, such as to highlight a particular event, a space on campus, or a day in the life of a student, or to motivate action, such as encouraging registrations or donations
- what kinds of content could be a good match for the account, and any applicable university guidelines or broad tips for posting, such as re-reading before you post to catch any errors
- approximately how many posts should go up during the takeover
- recommended variety in types of posts (e.g., mixing photos and video, avoiding multiple pictures of the same subject, utilizing an AMA, etc.)
- how to introduce themselves at the start of the takeover and say goodbye at the end (before logging out)
- what, if any, hashtags, should be used
- how the takeover manager and regular manager can quickly contact each other if there are any issues
- Promote the social media takeover before it begins. With permission, get a photo of the person who will manage the takeover, and post it on the account prior to the takeover so followers have a sense of who will be posting at that time.
- Continue to monitor the account during the takeover to make sure it is going smoothly.
- After the takeover, remember to:
- quickly update the account password if provided to a guest poster